Three Ways to Resize NTFS Partition without Losing Data

Introduction NTFS

NTFS (New Technology File System) is the standard file system applied by the Windows NT operating system, including its advanced versions---Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. NTFS is superior to the FAT file system in performance, extendibility, and reliability, therefore, NTFS is well received as the top choice of file system for Microsoft's Windows operating systems.

Method 1: AOMEI Partition Assistant Helps Resize NTFS Partition Safely

Windows partition manager can resize both NTFS and FAT32 partitions and ensure 100% data security at the same time. The operations can be realized through a few clicks and moves of the mouse.

Here, we show you the procedure to extend NTFS system partition.

1. First of all, You need to download partition magic pro software:

Download AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro Edition (File Size: 3.12MB)

2. In main interface, it will show you local disk information, we take our test computer for instance:

3. From the main interface, we see all partition are NTFS partition, and there is some unallocated space already. If we want to extend C: drive NTFS partition with the unallocated space, select F: NTFS partition and drag it rightwards to exchange the locations between F: partition and unallocated space:


4. In main Window again, the unallocated space location changed success, drag C: NTFS partition rightwards to merge the unallocated space like following do:


5. Check the operations and then commit the changes by clicking "Apply" on the toolbar, after several minutes, you will see C: system NTFS partition was enlarged:

Free download partition magic software to try!(File Size: 3.12MB)
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Method 2: Resize NTFS Partition with Disk Management Utility

In Windows Vista or later versions like Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows Server 2008, it's easy to resize NTFS partition by built-in Disk Management utility; here introduce the procedure in detail, we set Windows Vista as an example:

1. Right click on "My Computer" and select "Manage", In the Computer Management then click "disk management". Disk Management shows the detail condition of all available partitions and disk drives. There is the C: and D: and free space on the Disk 0. look at this screen:

2. Right click on any partition that you wish to resize, and select either Extend (to enlarge the size) or Shrink (to reduce the size) according to your requirements.


Note: because there is an unallocated space near by the D: drive, so the "Extend Volume…" option in the right-shortcut menu is available.

3. Select the "Shrink Volume…" and will open the following windows, you can input the amount of space to shrink, remember that cannot exceed the size of available shrink space. (Attention: system partition just supports to shrink partition to one half at most.)


Please click the "Shrink" button to execute the operation. Windows Vista will reduce the size of the partition online immediately.

4. Right-click the C: partition, in the shortcut menu the "Extend Volume…" is grayed out as follow shown. The main reason is that there is no unallocated space next to the C: partition, so you have to use other software like AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro Edition, the helpful Windows partition manager to change the location of unalloated space and extend the C: partition.

Method 3: Resize NTFS Partition with DiskPart.exe Utility

You can use Diskpart.exe utility to manage disk partition in a command line (CMD). For a NTFS partition or volume, it can extend by incorporating unallocated space into an existing NTFS volume with preserving the data. Here I just show you how to resize NTFS partition by the DiskPart.exe. Start with the following steps:

• Click Start and type "CMD", then press Enter.
• In the command line prompt input: DISKPART.exe.
• Type "help" to show its help information.
• First, use "select" to choose a right partition that you prefer to.
• Execute the "extend" command.
• For more information about Diskpart.exe, read on: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325590/

Note:
1. System partition can not be resized by Diskpart.exe command.
2. If there is no adjacent unallocated space behind the target partition, Diskpart.exe command also can not work like Windows Disk Mangement.

Summary on Resizing NTFS Partition

To sum up, the methods to resize NTFS partition by Windows partition manager, Windows Disk Managemen and DiskPart.exe command line, all show their clear special features. However, how many of our computer users are proficient with computer operations such as Windows Disk Management or DiskPart.exe command line? What's more, if your system is Windows XP, 2000, 2003, disk management even never support to resize NTFS partition.

Well, if it has free third party software, why ignore it? It is unnecessary to waste your time and energy on unwanted works. No matter which windows editions you are using, Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8. If you are using Windows Server 2003 and 2008, select an appropriate version of the Partition Assistant (such as free partition manager, Windows partition manager and partition magic server). Stop hesitating! Try now to resize NTFS partition.

Free download partition magic (File Size: 3.12MB)

Buy AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional Edition (US$ 36.00 only)